Having a blog: when you don’t know what to write about (help!)

When starting a blog — regardless of the debate on whether or not blogs are dying a slow death — I set clear goals: keep myself sane while looking for a new job, trying to hold myself accountable for a better health (food and sports), and maintain my sense of humor.

Did I succeed at it? Uuuh, nope!

Quite the opposite, friends!

I went a lil’ nuts (especially in the summer where no one really answers emails), didn’t become a fitness guru or started to eat considerably better.

To be fair, I am already pretty healthy when it comes to food, the only thing is that I sometimes give in to temptation and eat foods to which I am allergic… Few things get me quite as excited as when I get away with eating a big pizza or a fat slice of cheesecake, mmm mmm!

(People who suffer from any food intolerance/allergy will understand what I mean. Living on the edge!).

Anyways, rambling.

With or without craziness, I did eventually find a job, moved to the Netherlands, and started a new chapter of my life living together with the awesome guy I get to call my boyfriend. ❤

This was exactly what I needed because I had been craving for stability, but it also meant that the original purpose of writing was gone. And I did want to continue.

So now what?

I took a break, wrote a couple of posts about my trip to Brazil (here and here), but then was out of a logical next step.

So here we are.

*Spoiler alert: I still don’t have it figured out*

Staring at this post, thinking of what to write… right now, there are about four things that come to mind, check it.

ONE | Traveling

Some days I think I should write about traveling — but, let’s face it, there are a million other people out there who are already doing it. So what is the unique point of view I can bring?

I would say Chris and I are pretty good at finding online deals to live that champagne lifestyle on a tap water salary. (I read that expression the other day, and it made me chuckle! So obviously I now use it every chance I get 😉 ).

Somehow we mostly manage to find great places (for food, accommodation, etc) on a relatively good price. And we do love to eat and travel, which is how we spend most of our free time. So that’s a thing?

TWO | Random life musings

Other times I think about writing about random life things, like:

How I learned to live off of a suitcase when I traveled for six months last year, and how to really make the most out of limited wardrobe choices.

The trendy people of the internet call it a capsule wardrobe. I call it something I had to do because there’s a 23 kg limit on flights PLUS when you’re not working, you will, in any case, buy the cheapest ticket you can find, and which only allows you to take on carry-on luggage (bye bye countless hair products!)… which explains why my whole last summer looks like it took place in less than a week.

I could tell you how I have learned valuable lessons in life. But on the other hand… how much do you actually want to share about your private life online?How do you find that sweet spot where your personality shines through but you don’t overshare?

I could also tell you about how I have a weird collection of photos where I’m dancing on the street? No place should be left without me doing my moves, apparently! Anyone else out there with a random public dancing addiction? 😉

Here are a few of the many, many photos of me being completely random. Traveling makes me happy, and when I’m happy I dance and sing!

THREE | Being an expat

If there is one thing I got the hang of over the last few years is moving a lot. Moving countries a lot, to be precise. Not an easy task, and one that definitely requires a sense of humor.

There’s a lot that goes untold — it is a journey that doesn’t end when you unpack your bags for the first time, and that it has as much of amazing as it has of challenging — and I feel this isn’t spoken about enough?

Example:

I remember when I first moved abroad that suddenly my friends back home thought I had stumbled on a pot of gold and became a millionaire overnight. No guys, I was making a meager intern salary, like everyone else, and eating mostly pasta and rice for a quite a while.

I also used to laugh at how some people moved abroad and “pretended” to forget the language. Until the day I actually couldn’t remember basic words myself?! What the… ahem.

I had the following conversations:

“I need to buy … uh… hmm… the thing, what’s it called,… you know, it’s liquid and white and you pour it over cereal?”

and

“In Germany, they plant a lot of potatoes, carrots and … (awkwardly long pause) … what do you call the red thing that grows on trees and fell on Newton’s head?”

Yup. Both true (sad) stories! haha

And many, many other things that come along with choosing to call a new country home.

FOUR | Life as a woman in the workplace

And finally, on the days that I am feeling like an activist, I think about writing how it is like to be a woman in a work environment. Ask any of my female friends… they started using my name as a verb/action when they talk about the times where they stood up for themselves or risked more at work.

I have been in situations where I was treated like a little girl because I simply appear younger than I am, and therefore people assume I am inexperienced in my field or was disregarded because of it…

I have had to sit there, quietly, while a female boss promoted and praised a man who didn’t deserve a promotion over a female colleague who did (and was in the same team!).

I will never forget the words she used, as she laughed and smiled about her GREAT decision. I quote: “behind a great man there’s always a great woman”.

And while there is nothing wrong with supporting a man in a leadership position (just think of the Obamas!), I felt outraged because in this case the only difference was: he was a man.

That led me to change my attitude in the workplace. If men can do it, why should I be shy?

I am definitely not one to brag about my accomplishments, BUT I will also not stand in my own way when it comes to asking for more or speaking up.

I don’t always know where I am going, but I know who I am and who I want to be while I am going.

Anyways, rambling again! Still here, writing about what to write.

So tell me, what would you like to hear about? And how do you see it?

Would you share your personal story online? Maybe you’re a deal genius? Or struggle / have been learning from work experiences and how to use that as a learning and growth tool?